Clear ice-making machine



T. KATTls CLEAR ICE-MAKING MACHINE Vfo'/ 1 4 HO Il INI/Enron, ieoooRE KATT/ lymfq Sept. 1, 1953 Filed April l2, 1950 Sept. 1, 1953 T. KATTIS` CLEAR ICE-MAKING MACHINE 4 'Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April l2, 1950 INvsNroR, THEoooRE KATTIS .BY

l HTTQRNEK Sept. 1, 1953 T. KATTls 2,650,4'7 9 CLEAR ICE-MAKING MACHINE IN VEN TOR, 'lsovoRE l( A Tris,

Sept. 1, 1953 T. KATTls CLEAR ICE-MAKING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April l2, 1950 HTTTORNEY.

Patented Sept. y1, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for making ice in relatively small quantities, and particularly to the making of clear ice such as is preferred for use in icing drinks served in glasses and the like. The machine is preferably designed to be placed upon a counter such as at a soda water fountain, so that the ice may be made at the site of the soda water fountain, and only a small quantity of the ice need to be stored since the machine is so designed as to replenish the supply in a minimum amount of time.

While as above indicated, the primary object of the invention is to make clear ice, free of opaque spots or solid portions, gas bubbles, and

the like which are objectionable in appearance -I in the icing of drinks. Furthermore it is an object of the machine to provide the ice in flake form so that it may be easily stored in sufficient quantity without intervening air spaces and at the same time fed from the storage into glasses and the like as may be desired. That is to say, the machine is not intended to make the commonly known ice cubes, but is intended to make ice in the flake form.

A still further important object of the inventhat the ice making process itself will be discontinued when that storage space is lilled to a predetermined level.

A still further important object of the invention is to provide the required amount of water without an excess to any great extent, and to do so automatically all within complete control of the mechanism of the machine itself once it is set into operation.

These and many other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those versed in the art in the following description of one particular form of the invention as now best known to me, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a View in vertical central section fore and aft of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a View in vertical transverse section on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view in horizontal section on the line 3-3 in Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a detail in horizontal transverse section on the line 4-4 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail in front vertical elevation and partial section of the ice cutter mechanism;

m above a floor I a platform 2 Fig. 6 is a detail in vertical section on the line E-J in Fig.

Fig. 7 is a view in outside perspective of the ice flow chute; and

Fig. 8 is a schematic wiring diagram of the control circuits,

Referring to the drawings, in which like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views, there is spaced II on which the driving mechanism is mounted. An electric motor I2 is supported to have its armature shaft horizontally disposed transversely across the device, and to drive a gear I3, herein shown as a bevel gear, which gear I3 is in constant mesh with a bevel gear I4 xed on a horizontally disposed shaft I5. This shaft I5 is generally supported by the brackets I6 and I1 secured to the floor Il. The bracket I1 in the present instance constitutes a side wall of a transmission housing which will be described later.

There is 'xed on the shaft I5 a worm I8 which is in constant mesh with a worm Wheel I9 that 7 is secured to a vertically disposed shaft 20. The

shaft 2! extends downwardly to traverse a pedestal 2| carrying bearings 22 and 23 at the top and bottom ends thereof respectively. The pedestal 2l is iixed to the floor II, and the shaft 3g 20 extends revolubly therethrough and on down through the floor II to have a cup 24 fixed to its lower end, and preferably reinforced at the i interconnection by means of the gussets 25. The cup 24 being thus rigidly connected to the 35 lower end of the shaft 20 turns therewith. In-

side of the cup 24 there is positioned in a fixed manner a helical coil of tubing 26. Spaced to extend radially from the outer most portions of the turns of the coil 2B are a series of ns 21.

The cup 24 is provided with a plurality of fins 28 to pass freely between upper and lower fins 21, as a means of agitating a brine solution which is designated by the numeral 29 and carried within the cup 24. The coil 26 carries a refrigerant, which enters and flows therefrom through the tubes 3U and 3l, Fig. 3, which eX- tend upwardly and are carried through the floor Il and oil through the machine cover 32. The bottom of the cup 24 is preferably provided l with an insulating pad 33, enclosed by a metallic cover 34 exposed across the underside of the cup to give, preferably a smooth surface thereacross. The cup 24 is revolved through the shaft 20 to turn around the stationary coil 26, 5 with the brine 29 inside thereof and agitated v 3 and stirred by the relative interpassage of the fins 21 and 28 adjacent the outer wall of the cup 24.

In axial alignment with the shaft |5, is a shaft 36 supported by an outer end bracket 31, and by a bracket 38 which forms the side of the transmission housing 39 removed from the side |1 above mentioned.

The shaft l has fixed on its end within the housing 39 a pinion gear 40 to receive centrally therein the end of the shaft 36. In other words the gear 48 forms a pilot bearing for the extreme end of the shaft 36 inside of the housing 39. This gear 40 has fixed thereto on one side thereof a clutch faced plate 4| so that the plate 4| revolves with the gear 46.

A pinion gear 42 is revolubly mounted on the shaft 36 inside of the housing 39 adjacent the bracket 36. A clutch faced plate 43 is fixed to the gear 42 on that side which is presented toward the clutch plate 4|. These two clutch plates 4| and 43 are spaced apart a distance to receive therebetween a shiftable plate member 44. This member 44 is slidingly engaged to the shaft 36 to be revolved therewith, but capable of being axially shifted therealong between the plates 4|' and'43.

A clutch shifting nger 46 enters an annular groove around the member 44, and extends upwardly through the housing 39 to serve as a means for shifting the member 44 into selective engagement with either plate 4| or 43, or into the central neutral lposition as indicated in the drawing,'Fig. l, where neither plate 4| nor 43 is in driving contact with the member 44.

A jack shaft 41 is revolubly carried between v the two brackets |1 and 38, and below the shaft 36, but in parallel alignment therewith. A pinion gear 48 is fixed to the shaft 41 and is in constant meshwith the gear 49. A second pinion gear 49 is fixed to Vthe shaft 41 and is in constant mesh with an intermediate gear 50 which is carried within the housing 39 revolubly mounted on the post 5|. This gear 58 in turn is in constant mesh with the gear 42. member 44 in the position indicated in Fig. 1, turning of the shaft I5 will not Vdrive the shaft 36. A reverse drive is set up through the pinion gears 48, 48, the shaft 41, pinion gears 49, 5D, and 42, only when the members 44 and 43 engage.

A worm 53 is fixed to the shaft 36 between the brackets 38 and 31, to be in constant mesh with a worm wheel 54 which in turn is fixed to a vertically disposed shaft 55. This shaft 55 is revolubly carried through a fixed arm 56 extending 'from the bracket 31, to extend downwardly therefrom freely through the floor and be guided by its lower end by a bracket 51 that is supported from the back wall 35 of the device. The shaft 55 is parallel to the shaft 20. A worm 58 is fixed to the shaft 55 to extend along its major length under the fioor and above the bracket 51.

This worm 58 is in the nature of a lead screw.

The worm 58 in the form herein shown, is an Thus with the shiftable guide posts 66 and 61, the ends of which are secured respectively to the fioor I8 and the platform Fig. 2. These brackets 64 and 65 are secured to a water cup 68 so that when the nut 59 is carried along the worm 58, the cup 68 will be elevated and lowered accordingly. The water cup 68 has a conical iioor 69, and also a frustoconical hood 10 at its top end. The cup 68 is cylindrical in shape, and has a diameter exceeding that of the refrigerating cup 24. vThe upper end of the hood 19 comes in to have a diameter closely approaching that of the outside of the cup 24. A cutter ring 1| is inserted and fixed in position in the upper mouth end of the hood 18. This ring 1| has a diameter which will permit it to be shifted upwardly along and around the cup 24 with a slight clearance therebetween, such as around about im of an inch approximately. On the top edge of the cutter ring 1| is a frost cutter tooth 12, and on the under side of the ring 1| there extends downwardly and inwardly one or more ice cutting teeth 13, herein shown as three in number. The purpose of these teeth 12 and 13 will be further explained in the operation of the cup 68.

Axially extending downwardly from the fioor 69 is a nipple 15 through which is guided a valve stem 16. This stem 16 carries on its upper end a valve head 11 seatable upon the seat 18 in the upper end of the nipple 15. 'I'he valve stem 16 is fiuted to have the spaced apart vertical grooves 19 extending from under the head 11 downwardly throughout the length of the stem part 16. In order to prevent circumferential rotation of the stem 16, some restraining means is employed, herein shown as a screw passing through the side of the nipple 15 and entering one of the flutes 19.

The stem continues downwardly from the fiuted portion 16 by a reduced diameter stem 8| around which is positioned a coil spring 82 bearing against the washer 83 fixed to the lower end portion of the stem 8|, and by its upper end against the lower end of the nipple 15 so that the spring 82 will normally tend to seat the head 11 against the seat 18. However when the cup 68 is in its inoperative position as shown in Fig. 1, the lower end of the stem 8| rests against an abutment 84 to hold the head 11 at a distance spaced above the seat 18 so that fluid flow may be had from inside of the cup 68 down through the fiutes 19 out through the nipple 15 to discharge into a drainage cup 85 which is carried on the fioor ID. A drain pipe 86 is provided to extend through the fioor I6 from the cup 85.

The cup 85 has fixed thereto a stand pipe 81 which is turned vertically to receive therein in a sliding telescoping manner an overfiow pipe 88, the upper end of which is fixed to the upper end of a chamber 89 fixed on the outside of the cup G8. There is a communicating passageway 98 in the wall of the cup 68 from the chamber 89. Thus when fluid is placed in the cup 68, with the valve head 11'seated on the seat 18, the maximum possible level of the fiuid within the cup 68 is determined by the overflow pipe 88 leaving the chamber 89, discharge from that overflow 88 being within the stand pipe 81, and discharge therefrom being into the cup 85.

A water supply pipe 92 enters the side wall ,35 and is carried upwardly to the platform and then curved around downwardly by an end portion 93 in vertical alignment with the cham- .ber 89, which chamber is open at its top end.

The pipe 92 carries a shut 01T valve 94 in the uprising portion thereof, this valve 94 being opened by a push button 95 normally spring pressed to a closed condition. On the lower end of the pipe portion 93 is fixed a spring scraper 96 so aligned that it will scrape the inside wall of the chamber 89, that wall being removed from the wall of the cup 68. On the forward side of the wall 35 is located an ice storage compartment 91. This compartment 91 carries an insulation wall 98 therearound. The compartment 91 terminates by an underside floor 99 spaced above the iloor l a distance suiiicient to permit the insertion under that iioor 99 of a glass or cup to receive ice.

In axial alignment with the shaft I is a feed shaft |00 carried by the forward bearing |0| mounted on the upturned bracket |02, and a rearwardly placed bearing |03 carried in the upper end of the bracket |04. On the forward end of the shaft |5 is mounted a clutch plate |05 to be shiftable longitudinally of the shaft I5, but to be driven thereby. On the rear end of shaft |00 ls a companion clutch plate |06, xed to the shaft |00, so that the plate |05 may be pulled compressively against the plate |06 in order to drive the shaft |00 from the shaft |5. A shifting fork |01'l engages about the hub |08 of the plate |05 and extends upwardly therefrom into fixed engagement with a shifting rod |09 longitudinally supported through the forward part of the wall 32,

loosely therethrough, and slidably through a guide arm ||0 on the top side of the bracket I6. This shifter rod |09 extends externally of the wall 32 and is pivotally connected to an upper end portion of a lever I, in turn rockably supported by its lower end on a bracket ||2, in turn xed to the outside of the wall 32. The upper end of the lever carries an operating knob ||3. Normally a spring ||4 bearing between a pin ||5 in the rear end of the rod |09 and the back side of the member ||0 holds the shifter rod |09 in its rearmost position so as to separate the plate |05 from engagement with the plate |06, as indicated in Fig. l.

The shaft |00 has a worm ||1 fixed thereon to be in constant mesh with a worm wheel ||8 which in turn is fixed to the upper end of a vertically disposed shaft ||9. This shaft ||9 extends vertically downwardly through the floor II, the insulating partition above the compartment 91, and down through that compartment 91 to carry on its lower end a feed auger I2|. This auger 2| fits loosely within a bore |22 provided through the floor 99. The shaft |9 carries above the auger |2| a plurality of agitating vanes or paddles |23. As indicated in Fig. 1, thesepaddles or veins |23 are provided at least at two different elevations.

As indicated in Fig. 1, and also in Fig. 3, the cross-sectional shape of the upper part of the compartment 91 is generally U-shaped, with the legs thereof turned rearwardly toward the wall 35 to engage therewith. Across the opening between those two legs designated by the numerals |24 and |25, Fig. 3, is positioned a door |26. This door |26 is preferably insulated, and is fixed to the cup G3, herein shown as being engaged to the upper hood 10. The compartment 91 has a window I 28 opening through into the space within the wall 35, this window being generally of the same dimensions as that of the door |26, so that when the door |26 is in a lower position as indicated in Fig. 1, the window |28 is closed so that the compartment 91 is substantially insulated from the space within the wall 35. Practically there is a slight clearance provided between the wall 35 and the forward face of the door |26 so that the door |26 may be moved vertically in relation to the wall 35, and on the inside thereof.

Further explanation of the structure will be better understood in connection with a description of the over-all operation as now follows.

Operation Referring to Fig. 8, the motor I2 is connected across the power lines and |3| through an intervening switch |32. This switch |32, Fig. 1, is located to have its operating member in the path of the lever so that when the lever is in the position as indicated in Fig. 1, the switch is normally opened, but will close automatically when the lever is` pulled outwardly to cause the clutch plates |05 and |06 to come into driving interengagement.

With the lever I pulled outwardly, the motor l2 is set into operation and the shaft ||9 is thus revolved, and any ice in the compartment 91 will be fed outwardly and downwardly therefrom through the bore |22.

At the same time the shaft ||9 is being driven, the shaft 20 is likewise being driven to revolve the cup 24 around the refrigerating coil 26,.l The clutch member 44 is in the neutral position as indicated in Fig. 1, so that while the shaft I5. is turning, the shaft 36 will not be turned thereby.

Within the compartment 91, there is located a thermostat switch element |33, so positioned that when the ice within the compartment 91 drops therebelow, this member |33 will close, first a circuit from the wire` I 3| through the wire |34 through the switch arm |35, the contact |36, the wire |31, and the wire |38 to the motor |2 which in turn is connected to the wire |30. Assuming that the ice has been delivered from the compartment 91, and the thermostat element |33 exposed above any residual ice in the compartment 91, and the lever is released to open the switch |32, the motor I2 is thus set into operation through that switch member of the thermostatic element |33. The operation of the motor revolves the shaft 20 as before indicated.

This thermostat element |33 also closes another circuit from the wire |3| through the wire |39, the switch member |40, the contact |4|, the wire |42, a solenoid magnet 43, a wire |44', leading to a fixed position contact |45, a switch arm |46, and a wire |41 connected to the wire |30. The arm |46 is normally urged into Contact with the contact member |45 by means of the spring |48.

The clutch shifting finger 46 is fixed to the iron armature |49 which is slidable within the solenoid I 43, so that when the solenoid |43 is energized under the circuit conditions just described, the nger 46 will be shifted to the left, Fig. l, .to bring the member 44 into engagement with the clutch member 4|. The gear 42 turning on the shaft 36 remains meshed with the '95 into the open valve condition, whereupon water will start to flow from the supply pipe 92 and outwardly from the water line portion 93 into the compartment 89, and consequently into the Cup 68.

As the cup 68 rises, the cutter ring 1| traverses the outer wall of the cup 24, with the tooth 12 coming into close engagement therewith to shave off any frost which may have been formed around the cylindrical portion of the cup 24.

As indicated in Fig. 4, there is a frost discharge `chute |53 fixed Ito the outer side of the cup 68,

to turn back under the floor 69, to permit any Y frost coming down that chute |53 to fall into the sump collecting cup 85. The tooth 12 is located in reference to the chute |53 as best indicated in Fig. 4 whereby the shaved off frost will dropdown that chute.

The cup 68 will be continued to be lifted by the nut 59 until the nut reaches that position along the worm 58 whereby the pin 68 reaches the top circumferential groove |54, Fig. 1. Since further upward travel is prevented by reason of the presence of this circumferential groove |54, the nut 59 will come to a rest in respect to vertical travel at this position while the shaft 55 continues to revolve. With the cup 68 elevated to that corresponding position, the water level in the cup 88 will have been brought up to the over-ow pipe level, that is the level of the top end of the pipe 88, so that the refrigerating cup 24 will then be revolving within the cup 68 with the water level therein maintained at that height. It is to be noted that the length of the cam is made to be such that there will be a dwell period in riding over the button 95 sufcient to carry an excess amount of water through the cup 68 to iiush it out, and at a predetermined level thereabove of this cam |5|, the button 95 will be free to return to the water flow cut orf position.

When the cup 68 is in its uppermost position, the lower peripheral portion of the cup 24 will be revolving within a ring |56 which is xed to the floor 69 inside of the cup 68. The internal diameter of this ring |56 is made to be such that the lower end of the cup 24 may revolve freely therein, but will also serve as a guide to prevent oscillatory motion of the cup 24, and also serve to prevent the formation of ice along that lower covered portion, which portion is externally of the insulating layer 33.

Also before the cup is iinally received through the ring |56 to the relatively lowermost position, a frost cutter blade |51 comes into contact with the under side of the cup 24 to shave off any frost which may have collected thereon, so as to prevent an excessive building up of frost on that part of the cup 24. This cutter bar |51 is, in the present showing, mounted on a head |58 that is vertically reciprocable on a post |59 extending upwardly axially from the valve head 11. A spring |60 surrounds the head |58 to bear between the cutter bar |51 and the top of the valve head 11 in order to yieldingly urge the cutter bar |51 upwardly and also permit yieldnects with the wire |3|.

ing retraction toward the valve head 11 when contact of the cutter bar |51 is made against the under side of the cup 24. A pin |6| extends through a slot |62 in the member |59, and engages with the head |58 so as to limit the upward travel of Ithe head |58. Also the pin |6| prevents turning of the head |58 relative to the valve head 11 so that the cutter |51 remains stationary in respect to rotation of the cup 24.

There is aplate |64 which is normally bearing against the circumferential wall of the cup 24. This plate |64 is fixed to the lower end of a rod |65 which is pivoted on a bracket |66 resting on the top side of the floor above the cup 24. As indicated, the rod |65 is oli set by the arm |61 so that normally the plate |64 will tend to swing toward the cup 24 when the wall of the cup 24 is positioned as indicated in Fig. 1 to be in the path thereof. The cup 68 clears the plate |64 by reason of a slot |98 being provided in the ring 1| and hood 10. In other words the plate |64 tends to ride in contact against the wall of the cup 24 under the inuence of gravity. The purpose of the plate |64 is to change the cycle of operations when a predetermined thickness of ice builds up on the circumferential portion of the cup 24. The cup 68, carrying water, has the cup 24 relatively immersed in the water therein, and due to the refrigerant within the cup 24, ice will form on the revolving cup, to be free of bubbles and foreign matter, so that the ice forms in a clear form.

When the ice reaches the desired predeterrnined thickness, the plate |64 between which and the wall of the cup 24 the ice is forming pushes the plate |64 outwardly, to rock an upper arm |68 connected to the rod arm |61. Travel of the plate |64 away from the cup 24 causes the arm |68 to bear against the lower end of the switch |46 to rock that arm out of contact with the member |45 and into contact with a member |69.

Prior to that operation of the arm |46, when the limit switch |58 has been allowed to close due to the upward travel of the nut 59 therefrom, a

circuit had been established from the wire |38 through the switch arm |10, the wire |1|, a magnet |12, a wire |13, and a wire |14 which con- While the magnet |12 has thus been energized, and the switch arm |46 carries an armature |15, that armature |15 is normally positioned by the switch arm |46 under the influence of the spring |48 to overcome any pull of the magnet |12. However when the arm |68 has rocked the switch |46, the spring |48 is overcome, and the armature |15 is pulled up to the magnet |12, and the magnet thereupon tends to retain the switch arm |46 in the shifted position to make contact with the member |69 even against the pull of the spring |48. This condition will be maintained even though the plate |64 thereafter tends to swing to the left, Fig. 8, that is until some other circuit condition is changed as will be hereinafter indicated.

When the switch arm |46 closes against the member |69, the solenoid |43 is deenergized, and a circuit is then set up from the wire |38, the wire |41, the switch arm |46, the contact member |69, the Wire |11, the Winding of a solenoid |18, the wire |14, and the other power line |3|.

The solenoid |18 carries therein the opposite end of the armature bar |49, and therefore causes the nger 46 to be shifted to the right, Figs. 1 and 8, to separate the members 4| and 44, and to bring the member 44 into driving contact with the plate 43 and thus drive the shaft 36.

This change in drive between the shaft I5 and the shaft v36 sets up a travel of the shaft 35 in a direction reverse to that of the shaft l5, and thus reverses the travel of `the shaft 55 and its worm 58 to cause the nut 59 to feed downwardly therealong. It is to beremembered that the cup 24 is continually revolving during these operations. When the nut 59 starts downwardly, the cup l|i8 is likewise started downwardly-in relation to the cup 24. The teeth 13 carried by the cutter ring 1| being in very close proximity to the wall of the cup 24 start shaving the ice off `of that cup 24. This shaved olf ice flies oil to fall into the chute |1EI.` This chute is inserted through the hood to have its inner upper end portion under the teeth 13, and is inclined to discharge from the outer side of the cup 6B. The chute |19 is located immediately under the lower edge of the door |26. When the cup .68 was raised upwardly about the `cup 24, the door |26 had likewise been lifted up through the oor so that the window |28 was completely opened, and as the ice is being shaved olf of the cup 24 by the teeth 1.3, the ice will drop through the chute |19 through the window |28 with the door |26 coming down to follow the travel downwardly of the teeth 13 until the lowermost position of the cup 68 is again reached when that window 28 will be completely closed.

Further, as the nut 59 lowers, the water valve 94 will again be opened to supply fresh water to the cup 58, to provide a reservoir of water so that when the cup 68 reaches its lowermost position, the valve head 11 will have been opened to the position indicated in Fig. 1, and all of the water dumped out through the nipple into the cup 85, whereby all ice and frost accumulation within the cup 68 is flushed out. No ice can then form within the cup 68, although the space within the wan might be brought down to freezing or below.

The ice cut 01T by the teeth 13 coming down the chute |19 drops into the compartment 91. If the supply of ice thus provided does not reach that elevation of the thermostat element |33, the cycles just described will be repeated. This is due to the fact that the limit switch |50 opens by pressure thereon of the nut 59, while the thermostat switch arms |35 and |40 remain closed.

When that switch |50 opens, the arm |10 opens so as to deenergize the magnet |12, allowing the switch arm to swing back into contact with the member |45, thus deenergizing the solenoid |18, and energizing the solenoid |43 for the reverse travel of the worm 58 to again lift the nut 59.

Should it occur that the thermostat element |33 be reached during these cycles by the ice piling up in the compartment 91, and thereby cause the arms |35 and |40 to open their respective circuits, the limit switch which is in the closed position at any time the nut 59 is thereabove and out of contact therewith, still holds the arm |80 of that switch in a closed position so as to maintain the closed circuit through the wires |3| and |38 to provide current iiow through the motor 2 in order to complete that cycle in which the apparatus may then be engaged, to the end that the nut 59 will finally come to its lowermost position. Then of course, the switch |50 is opened so that the arm |80 is then in its open circuit condition so as to iinalf ly break the ow of current to the motor l2.

The shifting finger 46 is normally retained in a neutral position by means of the springs |9| and |92 interposed between that nger around the armature rod |49 and the solenoids |43 and |18. These are light springs, so that not too much energy is involved when the member 44 is to be shifted in either direction. It is to be seen that this particular means of direct and reversing drive of the shaft 3-6 tends towards a. silent operation.

While I have herein shown and described my invention in the one particular and specic form, it is obvious that many structural changes may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention, Such changes may be in the specific form of drive between the various members, the particular way of reversing travel of one member in respect to another, and the like. Therefore I do not desire to be limited to that precise form beyond the limitations which may be imposed by the following claims.

I claim:

1. An ice making machine comprising a refrigerating cup; a water cup; motor driven means for revolving the refrigerating cup; motor driven means immersing the refrigerating cup while being revolved in said water cup for a period to freeze water from the water cup on the surface of the refrigerating cup and then withdrawing the water cup from around the refrigerating cup; an ice cutter bearing toward said surface and traveling with said water cup to chip ice from said surface; a water supply line to discharge into said water cup; valve means controlled by travel of the water cup as said refrigerating cup is being immersed to fill said water cup from said line.

2. An ice making machine comprising a refrigerating cup; a water cup; motor driven means for revolving the refrigerating cup; motor driven means immersing the refrigerating cup while being revolved in said water cup for a period to freeze water from the water cup on the surface of the refrigerating cup and then withdrawing the water cup from around the refrigerating cup; an ice cutter bearing toward said surface and traveling with said water cup to chip ice from said surface; a water supply line to discharge into said water cup valve means controlled by travel of the water cup as said refrigerating cup is being immersed to fill said water cup from said line; and water cup overflow means predetermining the maximum water level in the water cup.

3. An ice making machine comprising a refrigerating cup; a water cup; motor driven means for revolving the refrigerating cup; motor driven means immersing the refrigerating cup while being revolved in said water cup for a period to freeze water from the water cup on the surface of the refrigerating cup and then withdrawing the water cup from around the refrigerating cup; an Vice cutter bearing toward said surface and traveling with said water cup to chip ice from said surface; a water supply line to discharge into said water cup; valve means controlled by travel of the water cup as said refrigerating cup is being immersed to iill said water cup from said line; valve means normally open for dumping water from said water cup; said second valve means being operated to closed condition by immersing travel of the water cup.

4. An ice making machine comprising a refrigerating cup; a water cup; motor driven means for revolving the refrigerating cup; motor driven means immersing the refrigerating cup while being revolved in said Water cup for a period to freeze water from the Water cup on the Surface of the refrigerating cup and then withdrawing the Water cup from around the refrigerating cup; an ice cutter bearing toward said surface and traveling with said water cup to chip ice from said surface; a water supply line to discharge into said water cup; valve means controlled by travel of the water cup as said refrigerating cup is being immersed to fill said Water cup from said line; and frost cutter means carried by said water cup and bearing toward said refrigerating cup to remove frost from said surface during said water cup immersion travel.

5. An ice making machine comprising a refrigerating cup; a drive for revolving said cup; a

water cup; a drive for lifting and lowering said water cup toV immerse said refrigerating cup therein to have ice freeze on the surface and to lower the water cup to have the refrigerating cup removed therefrom; a motor to actuate both of said drives; means traveling with said water cup to remove ice from said surface upon lowering travel of the water cup; a compartment receiving ice from said ice removing means; an ice level responsive member in said compartment; an electric switch actuated by said member to open and closed conditions in accordance with predetermined high and low ice levels in the compartment; and an electric circuit includ'- ing a source of energy, said motor, and said switch, to drive said motor upon a low ice level, switch closed condition to actuate said drives.

6. An ice making machine comprising the combination of a water cup; a refrigerating cup; drive means to revolve said refrigerating cup; drive means simultaneously shifting the water cup to telescope about the refrigerating cup and to withdraw the water cup from that telescoping relation; a frost cutter carried by said water cup to pass over the revolving surface of said refrigerating cup during said telescoping shifting; ice cutter means interconnected to travel with said water cup to pass across said surface of said revolving refrigerating cup during said withdrawal of the Water cup; an ice receiving member under said ice cutting means diverting ice removed thereby from over said water cup to a side thereof to maintain separation between removed ice and frost.

7. The structure of claim 6 wherein there is included frost collecting means apart from'said ice receiving member.

8. A method of producing flake ice which comprises the steps of revolving a refrigerated cylinder; raising to a predetermined level a volume of water about said revolving cylinder to submerge the cylinder in part at least in the water to freeze ice on its surface; lowering said level of the water about the cylinder While still revolving; cutting ice from the cylinder above the level of the Water as it is lowered and diverting the ice from above said level to a receptacle apart from said water.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein frost accumulating on said cylinder while out of said water is scraped off said cylinder prior to the cylinder submergence in the watergand the frost is Withheld from entering the water.

THEODORE KA'ITIS.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

